Getting Your License

When you complete your beauty school requirements, it does not give you the ability to just go out and begin working; you first have to obtain a license. Whether you want to cut hair, give people manicures and pedicures or any of the many beautification techniques you learned at beauty school, a license is required.

Licensing guidelines vary by state. Depending on the state, licensing can be a short process or a long process. After completion of desired beauty school, you must take a written exam. To be eligible for license, you have to be at least sixteen years old, and some states may require a high school diploma or G.E.D. You must also have completed the required number of hours at your chosen beauty school before you can take the state licensing exam.

In some states, only a written exam is required to receive your license. In other states, however, you may be required to perform additional tasks in order to receive your license. For example, there may be a practical exam or an oral exam. Furthermore, you may be required to complete an apprenticeship or additional hours.

You may be wondering what exactly you get from attending beauty school if not the ability to immediately go work in a salon. Beauty school gives you hands-on learning with mannequins. You receive the knowledge necessary to make it through beauty school, and upon completion, depending on your field of study and school, you will receive a certificate of completion or diploma.

 Becoming a licensed beautician varies by state, so it’s important to check your state’s requirements prior to applying for beauty school .

Reciprocity

When you attend beauty school, you are following the requirements set forth by your state. However, these requirements vary from state-to-state. Assume you attend beauty school in New Jersey and find that you want to move to, or just have better luck finding a job in, Pennsylvania . You cannot simply move from one state to another with ease based on your schooling at a New Jersey beauty school. Instead, there is a process to follow in order to meet the requirements to work as a licensed beautician in Pennsylvania , or any state.

As all states have different requirements for licensing, they also have different requirements for reciprocity. For example, in Arkansas , reciprocity is granted to all those who graduated from beauty school, have a valid license and passed BOTH a written and practical exam. Colorado, on the other hand, does not have reciprocity. They have endorsement, and if you hold a license, you may apply for endorsement. Some states don’t require anything additional for reciprocity. Instead, if you went to a beauty school that has the same hour requirements as said state (for example, Connecticut ) then you are free to continue as you were without doing additional work for the state.

Some states hold strict rules for reciprocity, even requiring you to have dual licenses to perform the same duties you previously performed with just one license. Some states require you to complete more hours to meet their licensing requirements, or they may require you to take an additional exam.

If you are considering attending beauty school in america other than the one you plan on working in, it’s important to research both licensing requirements for both states as well as their reciprocity requirements.